A June 2012 report from the Institute for Energy Research states that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will close more than 200 coal-fired power plants around the nation that will be a loss of 34 gigawatts (GW) of electricity now generated by those plants. Natural gas fired-plants will replace the coal-fired facilities according to the institute.
Around the Brainerd lakes area one might have noticed that fewer Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) coal trains have been rolling through town.
In last weekend’s Dispatch, reader Sarah Hayden commented: “It is a beautiful summer night in Brainerd, and I have the windows open while I peacefully slumber in the sweet breeze. BLAaaaaaaST. Now I, along with half of the city, have been jolted awake for the fourth time this night by a blaring train horn.“ Sarah’s comments were on the minds of thousands of residents living in close proximity to the BNSF line that has defined these communities for years. Sarah was advocating a “no horn zone” through the populated areas of Brainerd and Baxter when most folks are asleep.
People who’ve been annoyed with the blaring horn at 3 or 4 a.m. will not need a “no horn zone.” It seems as though the EPA’s actions that will be shuttering coal-fired plants will silence those trains rolling through our towns.
“Within the next three to five years, more than 200 coal-fired electric generating units will be shut down across 25 states due to EPA regulations and factors including cheap natural gas, according to a new report by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE).
Why? Perhaps it was this statement made by then Sen. Barack Obama that has followed through to his administration’s policy at the EPA: “So if somebody wants to build a coal-fired plant they can. It’s just that it will bankrupt them....” That statement appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, in January 2008.
“This is further evidence that EPA is waging a war on coal, and a war on affordable electricity prices and jobs. EPA continues to ignore the damage that its new regulations are causing to the U.S. economy and to states that depend on coal for jobs and affordable electricity,” said Mike Duncan, president and CEO of ACCCE, in a statement.
Mr. Duncan might also add that it’s resulting in job losses in the coal fields of Wyoming and Montana. It is having an impact on the number of railroad jobs, not to mention the jobs that will be lost in the ports of Duluth and Superior, where the western coal is shipped to points east on the Great Lakes.
Loss of jobs on the BNSF are bound to increase. “Across the railroad this past year, coal volumes have been lower due to decreased demand resulting from low natural gas prices and milder weather,” said BNSF Spokeswoman Amy Mcbeth. “Particular areas of our network could see varying levels of traffic depending on customer needs and other factors.”
Sarah, if the recent silence along our rail line is an indicator of things to come, you and many others may choose to open your windows this summer and enjoy uninterrupted sleep.
Keith Hansen
Comments (10)
Add commentSwitching to a less expensive
Switching to a less expensive (and destructive) fuel is the free market at work.
It means less mercury in our lakes and the fish we eat.
Where is the problem?
Sarah
They shouldn't be allowed to build railroads so close to peoples homes
but i bought
but I bought a house next to the airport and the planes flying over my house are too loud. i would like to have the airport moved :)
What is most efficient is best.
Whatever fuel source provides the cheapest electricity will have the best overall effect on jobs. That may not mean more railroad jobs or coal mine jobs. But if manufacturers and homeowners get cheaper electricity it will work to help create more jobs.
If our economic and environmental policy is to keep as many people working digging and hauling coal we could easily do that but it doesn't mean it would be the best overall strategy for our economy.
Remember that in the cost equation for generating energy needs to be the cost of the effects the emissions that fuel generates has on our environment.
coal
While we are shutting down coal fired power plants according to the 60 Minutes the rest of the world is putting new ones on line at a rate of 7 to 10 a week. Our piddly efforts to save the world will only drive us further down the road to financial collapse. Lets see---no new coal power plants--no new nuclear power plants--nothing but natural gas. I wonder who controls Washington D.C.
We have hundreds of years worth of coal reserves that would provide us with fairly cheap electricity and thousands of jobs. Whats the problem?
Pandemic liberalism success
Good one Purposed, might I add that progressive liberalism success is dictated by the Union setting the bar to the point of not only killing the cow that feeds them but the whole herd. This is a huge contrast to limousine liberal success, that is when one becomes filthy rich but wants everyone to think that they have all the answers because they have become experts at the childhood game of make believe. The key symptoms are one day they wake up and find them self struggling with... is it better to have a part of something or nothing at all? And the lines that they speak/roles played were written/created by someone else for entertainment and the riches that go along with being successful and creative.
The EPA does not shut down power plants
The owners of power plants shut them down based on the economics of operating them. It is clear that given the current conditions that generators are choosing to build natural gas plants rather than coal plants because it is cheaper to build and operate them.
Just because China is driving their bus off the cliff doesn't mean we should jump on. We could have the air quality of Beijing.
Sarah, put those no horn
Sarah, put those no horn zones in place and that annoying BLAASt will be replaced by an equally annoying CRASH as the trains smack into those morons who don't believe the annoying RR crossing signs. This will provide more opportunities for our local, annoying ambulance chasers.
Sleep well, Sarah
Only 312 days til O'Bama leaves office
1871
Sorry folks the trains were here before the people.